Family-Based Prevention for Childhood Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents, and they are associated with short- and long-term impairment in social, academic, familial, and psychological functioning. The children of parents with anxiety disorders are more likely to develop anxiety disorders themselves, because of genetic factors and the atmosphere in which they are raised. Previous research indicates that the risk of anxiety disorders among children can be reduced through preventive therapeutic interventions. In children with anxiety disorders whose parents also have anxiety disorders, therapy that includes their family is more successful than therapy focused only on the child. This study will test the effectiveness of a preventive, family-based therapy for children whose parents have anxiety disorders.

Participation in this study will last 1 year. First, interested participants will be asked to perform a screening assessment. This will include providing information about the symptoms, behaviors, and functioning of parent and child participants; filling out questionnaires; and videotaping the child and parent participants interacting. If, after the screening, participants are selected to continue with the study, they will be randomly assigned to receive either information monitoring or family-based cognitive behavioral therapy. Child and parent participants assigned to information monitoring will receive a booklet with information on coping with anxiety. Child and parent participants assigned to family-based cognitive behavioral therapy will meet with a study clinician for eight, weekly, 1-hour intervention visits, during which participants will learn skills to reduce anxiety. After completing the weekly visits, participants in this group will also receive three monthly booster sessions, in which coping skills will be reviewed. In addition to the screening visit, all participants will undergo identical assessments at three more time periods: 9 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after entering the study. All participants will also receive monthly phone calls throughout the study to monitor the children's anxiety symptoms.